The Christmas Friendship Ball
by lestrange101
Summary: It's Hermione's seventh year and she's Head Girl. Unfortunately, Draco's Head Boy. Even more unfortunate is the fact that Dumbledore wants Gryffindor House and Slytherin House to set aside their differences. Chaos and hilarity ensues.
1. Chapter 1: The Ball

All Ron and Harry seemed to do these days was chatter incessantly about Quidditch much to Hermione Granger's dismay. She needed a distraction from studying for the NEWTS and her best friends sure weren't helping.

"Honestly, can you both just shut up and talk about something besides Quidditch?" she whined. Ron paused his relentless rambling about the Chudley Cannons for a moment to give her a distracted confused look before continuing his conversation with Harry. Hermione rolled her eyes and looked around the Gryffindor table. Every seventh year boy seemed to have slowly descended to the spot where the golden trio usually sat, and were joining in on the quidditch conversation. Seamus Finnigan seemed to be a particularly enthusiastic participant as he kept fanatically promoting the Irish National Quidditch Team every chance he got. Unfortunately for Hermione, he was sitting right beside her. Ron was on the other side, and Harry was on the other side of Ron.

She was completely isolated. She didn't know a darn thing about Quidditch. She got up and moved to where Lavender and Parvati were giggling. "Ah, the great Hermione Granger finally graces us with her presence!" Lavender Brown said, smiling up at her. Hermione sighed. _There's nowhere better to sit you bimbo. _She sat down throwing her heavy rucksack onto the floor, and smiling at the two popular Gryffindors. _Oh fuck, I could have just ate dinner quietly and left, what on earth compelled me to come sit down next to two of the shallowest people of my year._

Parvati suddenly frowned and Hermione panicked thinking she had voiced her thoughts accidentally.

"Who are you going to the ball with, Hermione?" she asked looking very interested. Lavender gave her a pointed look. Hermione had reason to suspect they had talked about this before.

"Er, I don't know yet," she replied honestly. She had better things to think about and the ball was a month away.

"Move fast! Or all the good ones will be gone!" Lavender said cheerfully. She turned away, looking dreamily at the Hufflepuff table. Hermione knew that Lavender was going with Ernie Macmillan and Parvati with Justin Finch-Fletchley. Not that she paid attention to useless gossip, but due to the fact she shared a dormitory with both the girls and they loved talking into the night.

Parvati was staring at her. Hermione pretended not to notice. "I suspect you and Malfoy will start the dance," she said, her eyes wide with mirth. Hermione nearly choked on the pumpkin tart she had been eating. "Hardly! I believe we are free to dance with whom we please," she replied nastily. Parvati laughed. "You obviously didn't go to any of the dances last year! The Head Boy and Girl _always_ shared the first dance!" It was true that Hermione hadn't gone to any of the dances last year or the year before, or the year before, not that she had wanted to anyway. The Yule Ball had been a disaster.

Parvati stopped talking to her and started discussing the next Hogsmeade Trip with Lavender, pulling out a quill and writing down all the things she needed to prepare for the ball. Hermione rolled her eyes. She relished in preparation but a month's preparation for a stupid ball was just too much. They should be focusing on their N.E.W.T.S. not dances in their seventh year. Hermione was about to open her mouth and let them know that there was only seven months until the exams when Dumbledore stood up. "Students of Hogwarts, I would just like to remind you that you have just under a month to find dates for the Christmas Friendship Ball! Remember, that you may not attend with someone from your own house." His deep blue eyes twinkled with happiness as he sat down again.

Hermione found it a bit odd that he had made an announcement in the middle of dinner. No one else seemed puzzled though as excited chatter sprung up around her. Even the Quidditch enthusiasts seemed to be talking about the ball. She was pleased to see that most of them looked rather put out. Needless to say, most of them preferred girls from their own house.

She caught Harry glaring at Ginny while she was talking animatedly with her friends and stealing glances at the Ravenclaw table.

The Friendship Ball was a stupid idea. Hermione could hardly imagine any Gryffindors and Slytherins to come to the ball together.

There was one exception though.

Dumbledore grinned to himself, mischievously, chewing on a lemon drop._ Ah, this is going to be fun, _he thought to himself.

end of chapter 1

**Author`s Note:** I know this chapter is fairly short, but the next one is nearly triple this one`s length! This will probably be the shortest chapter. :) Anyway, review! I would love hearing what you think :)**  
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	2. Chapter 2: Being Head Girl

Hermione retreated into the Head common room quarters which she had transformed into her own private study space. She was utterly exhausted as the constant homework and preparation for NEWTs was taking a toll. However, only those close to her could notice her frayed edges. It was only November and Hermione felt more overwhelmed than she had in June of her fifth year when she had taken her OWLS.

All Outstandings of course except for _a bloody E_ in Defence against the Dark Arts. It was still a sore spot for her. Something that Ron liked to rub in her face every once a while, she might add.

Hermione stared into the fireplace of the cozy Head space, lying on the comfortable couch, deep in contemplation. Besides her prominent and shiny badge, pinned proudly to her chest, the only benefit of having achieved Head Girl status was her private common room where she could work undisturbed.

Okay, fine, she was exaggerating.

With her new found status, she was a role model to fellow students. She liked to think that she served as a role model to the Muggleborns who were frequently brought down by Mudblood rubbish by idiotic Slytherins.

Slytherins, oh how she _loathed_ them.

Hermione relished in the responsibility of Head Girl and was delighted that the faculty respected her position and occasionally asked her opinion and advice –with the notable exception of Professor Snape. She could not understand him. She was excelling in Advanced Potions yet he barely spared her nothing more than a blank glance or a curt nod. It frustrated her to no end. She longed for all her professors' approval and praise—this included even the unpopular Potions Master.

She even enjoyed assigning the prefects their night patrol schedules and acting as a peer counsellor to students. One simply had to mail a letter to her requesting an appointment and she would get back to them as soon as possible with the time and place. So far mostly first-years had approached her nervously asking her if Snape was indeed a bat and if ___McGonagall_would kill them if they handed in an assignment late.

There was only one drawback to being Head Girl -and a big one at that—Draco Malfoy. She had been shocked beyond words when she saw him on the Hogwarts Express flaunting his polished Head Boy badge to his friends. He gave Percy a run for his money, in the conceited manner he bragged about his Head Boy status. Draco Malfoy, Head Boy, Slytherin Quidditch captain, rich arrogant git and potential death-eater to boot. _He was the effing Slytherin hero, everything each of the little shits aspired to be, _she mused.

After days or rather weeks puzzling over Malloy's mysterious appointment—she had come to the conclusion that his father had obviously pulled some strings. Lucius Malloy sat on the board of governors of Hogwarts after all. Her friends had been happy to agree with her.

Perhaps she was being a _tad_ bit unfair though. It was true that Draco Malfoy's academic standing was only second to her own. A fact made privy to her by Dumbledore himself. She had known that Malfoy's Potion marks rivalled her own but she had reasoned that was because he was a Snape favourite. The fact that he excelled at all his subjects was news to her. She had always thought Padma Patil from Ravenclaw was her only real competition. However, despite the fact that Malfoy was a good academic, it didn't excuse his outrageous behaviour. He was nothing more than a bully with some serious mommy/daddy issues, if you asked her.

"What is that revolting thing on the wall?" Hermione nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of a familiar drawl. She hadn't heard him come through the portrait hole.

She looked up to see Malfoy pointing angrily at a poster on the wall.

"Beauty and the Beast" she mumbled.

"What?" He walked haughtily to where the poster hung and narrowed his grey eyes.

"That… thing has a striking resemblance to you, same hairstyle," he said smirking. He was pointing to the beast. Hermione groaned. _What an asshole._

Beauty and the Beast was Hermione's favourite movie and she had put the poster in the head space because there hadn't been enough room in her dormitory. She liked familiar things to surround her as sometimes her quaint muggle life seemed so distant. It was comforting.

"Never mind about that," she mumbled grimacing, "what does it concern you?"

"It concerns me Granger because I don't want this room diseased by some pathetic muggle rubbish. "

Hermione frowned. "Whatever you pathetic git, why should you care about the decoration of a room you don't even use?"

It was true. He had never used the Head space, which was equipped with comfortable seating, a tiny kitchen, a private bathroom, a bookshelf and two desks. She had only seen him once in here before in early September when he had come to collect the letters students had sent him. She suspected he came here every now and then to pick up his letters and that's it. _Why_, anyone would seek guidance from Draco Malfoy, was beyond her.

Since September, they had been doing a good job avoiding each other. She did all of the organization of the prefects schedules. Their first and only meeting at the beginning of the term had been anything but civil. She was glad that they didn't many of those meetings as the prefects were a good bunch.

Malfoy scowled before drawing out his wand and hexing the poster. The poster crumpled into a ball of paper which he then promptly tossed into the nearby fireplace.

The paper crunched and burned in the hot embers of the fire and Hermione saw red.

"You pompous, arrogant, stupid git!" she screamed, outraged, drawing out her wand. Malfoy seemed momentarily stunned before regaining his composure and letting a familiar and irritating smirk spread across his face.

"You bushy-haired bitch!"

"You sadistic shit!"

"You Gryffindor whore!"

"Ferret!"

"Beaver!"

"Shutup! " she screamed, "Get out of here!"

"This is a_ shared _space Mudbllood, and trust me I have no desire to stay any longer than necessary in a place contaminated with your Mudblood germs," Malfoy drawled haughtily.

Hermione scoffed. "Shut the hell up, Malfoy you pureblood piece of shit death-eater. I suspect you can't wait to graduate so you can kiss Voldemort's ugly ass."

"What did you say?"

"You heard me," she replied fiercely.

"Don't you dare utter the Dark Lords name with your cursed tongue, you Mudblood whore!"

Malfoy took a step towards her, wand drawn.

Hermione cringed. Only death-eaters and Voldemort sympathizers called him the "Dark Lord". It was like he was openly admitting that he planned to become a follower as soon as he graduated.

Unless, he was one already.

"Show me your left arm!"

"Excuse me? " Malfoy's face was livid, and he jerked his wand violently. He looked almost frightening. _Almost._ She had to remember he was nothing more than a schoolyard bully, like the ones who used to taunt her at her muggle school.

Or was he…

Hermione gulped. Did she want to know if it was true? She knew Harry had his suspicions but surely Dumbledore would never allow a student with a dark mark inside his school. Surely, there were spells that revealed death-eaters if they dare entered or penetrated the castle grounds.

"You know what your problem is, Granger? You are so _fucking_ judgemental!" he screamed vehemently.

She saw red. Her… _judgemental_? He called her a _Mudblood_ every _bloody _chance he got and she was the _judgemental _one?

She was losing it. It was unbearable standing in the same room as him.

She stalked out, without another word.

The sodding git! She shouldn't let him get to her like that. Hermione had spent a good thirty minutes walking aimlessly through the halls of the fourth floor, before she finally returned to the head space to retrieve her rucksack.

Thankfully, the blonde Slytherin had left. The only evidence he had ever been inside the room was the empty tray that read Head Boy and the ugly black smear across the wall where her poster used to be. She felt anger burn again in her belly and took several breaths. It was okay, she couldn't let his childish irrational behaviour get the better of her.

She half walked half ran to the Great Hall for dinner, desperate to join her friends and get her thoughts away from Malfoy.

Excited screams exploded within the Great Hall as a parliament of owls flew in dropping parcels and letters upon the four house tables. Hermione quickly rushed to her seat near Harry Potter at the Gryffindor table in case she had received something.

"Where have you been?" Harry asked her, his green eyes sparkling as a letter dropped in front of him.

"Studying," she mumbled, stealing a glance at the Slytherin table in front of her. Why did she have to have such a good view of Malfoy's unpleasant face?

She watched as an elegant falcon dropped a large parcel in front of him. Malfoy opened it hurriedly and treated his horrid troll cronies Crabbe and Goyle to some sort of sweet. A care package from home, she presumed. He looked disappointed however. _Spoiled, ungrateful brat._

Hermione didn't even notice she had received two letters until Harry pointed them out to her.

She opened the first one which came in a cream coloured envelope with a drawing of a book on it.

_H. Granger,_

Unfortunately, you have not returned your copy of _Magical Maladies_ _and their Cures _which was loaned to you the 12th of September making it as of today, 2 months overdue. This is unacceptable as it is over the allotted 2 week loan period. Please return this book immediately as well as pay the appropriate fine of five galleons. Also another charge of five galleons will be charged to your account as this book was specifically requested by a faculty member and due to you negligence, they were unable to obtain it.

_-Madam Irma Pince_

Head Librarian- Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Hermione groaned. This couldn't be happening. Honestly, NEWTS were driving her insane and making her forget mundane things like returning library books.

She quickly opened the other letter, a cream coloured envelope with a Hogwarts crest. She hoped it wasn't another overdue library book.

_Miss Hermione Granger,_

As I am sure you are aware, the Christmas Friendship Ball is fast approaching. Your help, along with the Head Boy's help is required for preparation. . Please arrange a prefect meeting straightaway and recruit volunteers. I will be meeting with you and Mr. Malfoy soon to discuss the ball in depth.

Until then,

_Headmaster Albus Dumbledore - _Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

This letter was way worse. She glared at the sullen blonde boy who sat across the hall from her. How on earth was she supposed to arrange a whole ball with that git? She could barely stand being in the same room as him.

"Is he bothering you m'onie? We could punch his face in for you," Ron asked, noticing her staring daggers at the Slytherin table.

"No more than usual. But thanks for the offer, Ron. I may take you up on it one day," she replied trying to smile. One day soon, she reckoned.

She quickly ate dinner and raced from the hall, intent on finishing her homework and thinking of how to arrange a prefect meeting as efficiently and quickly as possible without speaking to Malfoy.

_The bloody Christmas Friendship Ball_. She was _so _not looking forward to it.

end of chapter 2

_**Author's Note:** Thanks for all of those who reviewed my first chapter. Please review! It makes my day and I really want to know what you all think! The third chapter will be out very very soon! Stay tuned! Oh and a group of owls is called a parliament, for those who were like what? (Yes, I googled it)_


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